Gaza: The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised fresh alarms over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza, as reports continue to surface of civilians being killed or injured while attempting to access food amid growing famine risk.
In a stark warning, OCHA emphasized that no one should have to gamble with their life to receive basic aid, as over two million people face extreme deprivation. The agency also warned that fuel shortages could soon paralyze key health, water, and sanitation services across the Strip. Of particular concern is the cold chain infrastructure needed to preserve vital medical supplies like vaccines, which is heavily reliant on fuel.
Telecommunication networks are also teetering on the brink of collapse. OCHA cautioned that a loss of connectivity would severely impair emergency coordination efforts and leave already vulnerable populations cut off from critical updates.
Efforts by humanitarian organizations to access fuel stocks in Rafah have been repeatedly blocked. From April 13 to June 9, 29 of 35 humanitarian missions requesting fuel access were denied by Israeli authorities. The latest attempt, made this morning, was also turned down.
The UN reports that humanitarian teams are also facing severe operational constraints across Gaza due to insecurity, access denials, and bureaucratic delays. Just yesterday, half of all planned humanitarian movements—12 out of 24—were rejected, including missions aimed at delivering drinking water to northern Gaza, retrieving life-saving supplies from Rafah, and repairing essential roadways in the south.
OCHA reiterated its call for a secure and unrestricted operating environment that allows humanitarian workers to respond to the overwhelming needs on the ground. The agency underscored that under international humanitarian law, when a civilian population is deprived of essentials, it is incumbent on the occupying power to facilitate aid delivery by all means available.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and other health agencies have also raised alarms about diminishing access to Gaza’s remaining medical facilities. Hospitals such as Al Amal and Al Nasser in Khan Younis are struggling to stay operational. Al Amal, while still partially functional, has stopped accepting new patients due to intensified hostilities nearby and its location within an area subject to evacuation orders.
WHO reaffirmed that healthcare facilities must be protected at all times and must not be used for military purposes.
On the diplomatic front, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim, Sigrid Kaag, alongside Deputy Special Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Sarah Poole, visited Gaza City to meet with humanitarian partners. The discussions focused on the immense operational hurdles on the ground and the need to scale up international assistance.
The UN continues to urge for urgent, concrete measures to ensure life-saving aid reaches those who need it most, and to uphold the principles of humanity, neutrality, and protection enshrined in international humanitarian law.
